The good news is that help might just be a few years away in the form of a 15-year-old all-rounder from St Lucia.
Theo Edward on Monday scored his second century in two days while helping his country’s U15 team to a massive 403-run victory over Grenada in the Windward Islands WINLOTT Inc. U15 Tournament currently underway at the Darren Sammy Cricket Stadium in St Lucia.
Team captain Edward, who turned 15 in October, scored 101 from 81 balls as St Lucia scored a mammoth 482-8 from their 50 overs. Meanwhile, his vice-captain Johnathan Daniel raced to 142 from just 91 deliveries and smashed 17 fours and eight sixes.
St Lucia also got half centuries from Aaron St Clair and Codi Fontinelle, who scored 68 and 60, respectively, to set up the massive total.
Xzavian Rock was the best of the Grenadian bowlers with 4-90 from his 10 overs.
Faced with incredible scoreboard pressure, Grenada folded for just 79.
Captain Jayon Henry led from the front with 25 but Rock’s 11 was the only other score in double figures against Leon Alexander, who snared 3-14 and Edward 2-5 to complete the comprehensive victory.
On Sunday, Edward scored 198 in St Lucia’s 435-6 on their way to a 298-run thrashing of Dominica at the same venue. His knock included 30 fours and six sixes that came from 143 balls.
Alexander (58) and Daniel (54) also contributed half-centuries to the match-winning total.
Lybird Tharoux was the best of the Dominican bowlers with 4-53 from eight overs.
With the exception of Earsinho Fontaine’s 53 and Kenneth Valmon (21), Dominica’s batters had no answer for Alexander (5-23) and Edward (2-13) as their side crumbled to 137 all out in just 27 overs. No other batter made double figures while four failed to score in the lopsided affair.
Edward harbours ambitions of playing for the West Indies and lists Johnson Charles as his hero. On his current path, he just might be the hero the West Indies needs in just a few years’ time.
Following knocks of 198 and 101 against Dominica and Grenada, respectively, the 15-year-old Edward scored a game-high 137 as St Lucia racked up 310-9 from their 50 overs. The young allrounder hit 16 fours and six sixes and featured in partnerships of 102 with Johnathan Daniel, who made 33 and 100 with Leon Alexander who scored an even 50.
Dexter Baynes was the best of the bowlers with 3-44 while Jorden Charles took 2-48.
Staring at a mountain of a score, St Vincent crumbled for 109 in the face of incisive bowling from Alexander, who took 5-17 for another five-wicket haul following up on his five-fer against Grenada. Edward was also among the wickets with 2-17.
Only Damali Phillips with 30 and Charles, who scored 24, offered any real resistance to the St Lucia bowling attack.
St Vincent will have another crack at the unbeaten St Lucia on Friday with the winner taking home all the marbles.
The home side defeated St Vincent and the Grenadines by 160 runs to go undefeated in the tournament.
Heading into the decider with three consecutive centuries under his belt, the 15-year-old Edward scored 104 as St Lucia scored 270-7 from their 50 overs, their lowest score of the tournament.
Edward hit 15 fours and four sixes to prop up his side that had slipped to 18-2 in the third over. However, Edward and Tyler Venner staged a recovery with a third-wicket stand of 128 before the prolific opener was dismissed in the 23rd over.
He faced 78 balls in his impressive knock that saw him accumulate a massive 540 runs from his four innings during the competition.
Venner and Aaron St Clair added 79 for the fourth wicket, a stand that was broken when the latter was dismissed for 38. Venner was next out for 70 but the tail barely wagged as St Lucia reached 270 at the end of their 50 overs.
Lebron Douglas was the best of the St Vincent bowlers with 3-18 and was supported by Elron Glasgow 2-30 and Ozaid Edwards, who claimed the prized wicket of Edward, to finish with 2-58.
St Vincent folded to the St Lucia attack for 110 from 28.1 overs.
Jawayne Adams (24) and Jorden Charles (22) offered minimal resistance to Leon Alexander who had another impressive outing with the ball with 4-39.
Sheldon Willie took 2-3 while Edward chipped on with 1-1 from the 2.1 overs he bowled.
